The Edinburgh Interviews 2018

Who? Helen Duff

What? How Deep Is Your Duff?

Where? Heroes @ The Hive (venue 313)

When? 21:00

Are you prepared for what this year’s Edinburgh Fringe has in store for you?

Yes totally prepared – if you take cutting myself off from too much social media scrolling and stocking up mejool dates as a sign of second to none self care!

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

It’s all about falling in love for the first time, performing for the kids in the Rohingya refugee camps and realising I can orgasm. Not necessarily in that order.

What was the biggest obstacle you face(d) while putting this show together?

I tried my very best to include the YouTube sensory sensation SLIME in the show and despite several previews where I ended up covered in the stuff, couldn’t bear to wash my clothes in coke every night of the Edinburgh run.

Who would most enjoy your show?

People who enjoy a well woven story about the ways a woman can become better connected with herself and her community, with several duff puns and dances thrown in for the fun.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

Yes! I saw Pat Cahill’s show on the top of Bob’s Blundabus and it was fantastic! He’s doing 110% with John Kearns in that slot now instead which is bound to be brilliant. Lucy Hopkins is making something very special happen in the SpiegelYurt at midnight every day. And I’m also in Adam Larter’s Boogie Knight’s at 2pm everyday at the Hive. It’s a medieval disco with all the best boogie tunes of the 70s/80s. All the Heroes shows are a certified hoot.

What is your favourite thing about Edinburgh as a city?

The variety of the landscape – I’m living in Stockbridge this year and the river running down to Leith is so peaceful it feels like you could be in the middle of nowhere.

What are your plans for after the festival?

I’m making a wedding cake for 100 people for my boyfriend’s best friend’s wedding. Puts the pressure of Edinburgh in perspective!

Who? Dave Chawner

What? Mental

Where? The Laughing Horse @ The Counting House (venue 170)

When? 19:20

Are you prepared for what this year’s Edinburgh Fringe has in store for you?

You can never be fully prepared for The Fringe. It’s a bit like taking a cat to the vets – you can do as much prep as possible, but in the end you’ll end up tearing your hair out, running round in circles and screaming while all the while telling yourself ‘it’s for the best’.

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

This year’s show is all about mental health (rather than mental illness). The show uses comedy to normalise the conversation around mental health and make the topic fun. Because, let’s face it, whenever the topic of mental health comes up, it’s normally about mental illness. And, of course 1 in 4 of us has mental illness, but 4 in 4 of us has mental health, so why do we focus on illness rather than wellbeing?

What was the biggest obstacle you face(d) while putting this show together?

Myself! I find it hard to focus. Writing the show takes a lot of concentration and that’s something that I have very little of. I get distracted by the easiest of… oh look, there’s a squirrel!

Who would most enjoy your show?

Anyone that has an interest in mental health. That includes (but not limited to) mental health professionals, students, people with lived experience of mental illness, friends, family and relatives of those people as well.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

John Robertson’s – Sweaty, Sexy, Party, Party

Russell Hicks – Love Song For The Visciously Ambitious

Adam Kay – This Is Going To Hurt

Robyn Perkins – 10, 000 Decisions

Daniel Kitson – Good For Glue

Richard Wright – Virgin

Aidan Taco Jones – 52 Weeks

Sarah Iles – Ghosted

What is your favourite thing about Edinburgh as a city?

Let’s face it, Edinburgh is proper beautiful. Like, I mean, real lovely. It never fails to surprise me, when wandering through the streets, if you look up, how amazing it is. It’s no wonder J K Rowling based Harry Potter on this place. And that’s my favourite thing, that at least 10,000 cafes, coffee shops and restaurants claim to be ‘the birthplace of Harry Potter’

What are your plans for after the festival?

I’m going to be touring my new book (which has just been released). I’ve got some filming I’m doing for ‘Stylist’ Magazine and am going back to the radio show I present. It’s The Breakfast Show on Panda Radio – it’s amazing fun and boringly I’m really excited to be back and into the swing of it again.

Who? Olivia Rhee

What? Adventures of the Singing Acupuncturist, Big O Makes It in New York… or, Does She?

Where? Laughing Horse @ The Phoenix (venue 146)

When? 21:00

Are you prepared for what this year’s Edinburgh Fringe has in store for you?

I hope so! I have an open mind and so do not have any idea what it has in store for me, but I welcome it with open arms… Love conquers all…

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

I think the title of my show says a lot: Adventures of the Singing Acupuncturist. Big O makes it in New York… or does she? It is my comedy debut and so introduces me, a (Korean-American) lady, into the Comedy World. I talk about topics such as my culture, my food (kimchi, etc.), my relationships, my career, and my life this past year… a lot in an hour? Yes, but entertainingly so.

What was the biggest obstacle you face(d) while putting this show together?

Finding venues to host my preview shows and making my jokes funnier

Who would most enjoy your show?

Anyone who has a dream, has ever had a dream, and who enjoys learning about other cultures and getting free healthy tips and who enjoy laughing at me.

How beautiful it is, with its hills and castle; and the people are friendly, I feel safe here, although I had a stalker the other night… (for the first time in the 9 years that I’ve been coming to the Fringe).

What are your plans for after the festival?

I will go back to work so that I can make enough money to do what I love, which is to perform on stage. If my show does well and is discovered by a wealthy billionaire producer, I hope to take my show on a World Tour!

Who? Lily Lovett and Patrick Monahan

What? Date Night

Where? Just the Tonic at The Caves (venue 88)

When? 21:25

Are you prepared for what this year’s Edinburgh Fringe has in store for you?

Yes. We’ve been previewing our dating show all over the country so I feel ready to matchmake all the singles in the city this month! It’s such a fun show to perform so I’m just excited to have fun with our audiences.

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

We are hosting a dating show that is both for singles and couples. It’s Love Island meets Blind Date, a bit old and a bit new. We have a special guest each night, a single fellow Fringe performer, and we play games to eventually match them with their most suited member of the audience. We test couples on how well they know each other and there’s lots of comedy and sketches.

What was the biggest obstacle you face(d) while putting this show together?

Working with my partner (comedian Patrick Monahan)… No it’s great working together but because we’re a couple we don’t have the sort of politeness two colleagues would have with each other. We’re very much ‘that’s an awful suggestion Pat’ and ‘Lily that’s a terrible idea’. Being so honest and unafraid to be blunt with each other probably saved us a lot more time compared to less intimate double acts!

Who would most enjoy your show?

Anyone! Lots of performers say that but really, our show is clean and fun for everyone, families can come, older couples can come, young single people can come, it really is one for everyone.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

Obviously I’m going to say my partner Patrick Monahan’s solo show at the Gilded Balloon, 8pm. It’s basically an hour of him taking the piss out of me, which I don’t mind because my dad is a comedian (Red Dwarf’s Norman Lovett) and since I was old enough to talk I was watching him make jokes about me on stage. Pat’s show this year is brilliant, it’s my favourite of his yet. It’s very relatable, all about relationships and living together, in the previews I’ve seen a lot of the audience nodding throughout! He talks about how we’re from such different backgrounds (immigrant working class versus British middle class) and there’s a particularly great routine based on me making avocado on toast. It’s very funny!

What is your favourite thing about Edinburgh as a city?

It’s so beautiful. And I have a strong connection with Edinburgh. My parents met here at the festival, my dad was performing at Gilded Balloon so it’s funny that my partner also does. I spent my very early years in Stockbridge and after moving to London we still came up to the festival for my dad’s shows. Now I perform here in festival time and we often come for Christmases so it feels a bit like a second home.

What are your plans for after the festival?

We are off to Ibiza for a well earned holiday straight after our last show so Edinburgh can rain as much as it wants this August, in September I will make up for it and finally get a summer tan! Then we’re going to set up a regular night in London for our dating show and do some shows in other cities too.

Who? Patrick Monahan

What? #Goals

Where? Gilded Balloon Teviot (venue 14)

When? 20:00

Are you prepared for what this year’s Edinburgh Fringe has in store for you?

You can never be prepared for Edinburgh, no mater how much you preview & train for the festival, the month long run is like an assault course that even the best SAS soldiers would struggle with.

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

It’s a brand new stand up show with a slight theme looking at me being ‘immigrant working class’ and my misses being ‘British middle class’ and about how easy/difficult it is living together from our two backgrounds.

What was the biggest obstacle you face(d) while putting this show together?

Cutting the show down to 60 minutes. Because when I started writing it at the start of the year, I write out 90 minutes of material on it because I tour the show straight after Edinburgh!

Who would most enjoy your show?

Everyone! Because my shows are non-threatening, cleanish material and uplifting, I try not to exclude anyone, except for racists and serial killers!

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

Yes, “Date Night” at 9.25pm every night at Just The Tonic, it’s a brilliant brand new dating show, which is hosted by my misses & me!

What is your favourite thing about Edinburgh as a city?

Everything, the people, the surrounding scenery, the old style buildings, the cheap Lidl on Nichols street, the free samples of fudge in the fudge shop, the quiet walk home through the meadows at the end of each night, the value for money food in the mosque kitchen… the list is endless, what’s not to love about this city!

Who? Eleanor Tiernan

What? Success Without A Sex Tape

Where? Banshee Labyrinth (venue 156)

When? 13:40

Are you prepared for what this year’s Edinburgh Fringe has in store for you?

Yes I am all over it in that all I have done is some google maps searches to see what amenities are in the area I will be staying. Last year I had to carry a projector into my venue every day and it was quite heavy. That meant that the by the second week my spine was shaped like a cheese twist. Luckily there was a great massage therapist nearby to unravel the knots. This year I don’t need to carry a projector but I may engineer some discomfort in another way so I have an excuse to go back.

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

My show is about trying to survive in the world without doing a sex tape. Is it even possible? Who knows! Readers might think it selfish of me not to share details of my intimate life but I am willing to not be popular for the sake of others who wish to live without others opinions on our bedroom activities.

What was the biggest obstacle you face(d) while putting this show together?

The biggest obstacle was too many people asking to see my sex tape. I told them I hadn’t made one but they wouldn’t listen. The constant interruptions made life hell.

Who would most enjoy your show?

Hollywood producers, powerful TV commissioners and casting agents who are looking for a fair haired woman 5’7″ who can write with her left hand and answer phones with a charming lilt.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

Yes I would urge you to go and see Hayley Ellis if you like comedy about pigeons and also Gráinne Maguire who is the sharpest tool in the box.

What is your favourite thing about Edinburgh as a city?

I like the light at dusk. It’s soothing and close to when I get my tea. Usually, I try to get up on a rooftop at some point during the festival for a night time bevvy under the stars. It lends an unearned air of romance to the undertaking of going to the Fringe.

Who? Louise Beresford, Maddie Rice and Dave Bibby

What? Lead Pencil

Where? Underbelly Cowgate (venue 61)

When? 19:40

Are you prepared for what this year’s Edinburgh Fringe has in store for you?

Why, what have people been saying? They been saying we haven’t been working hard? Who said that? Was it Noel Edmonds? Prick. We’re ready. Tell Edmonds we’re ready.

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

Our uber-famous 90’s TV kids show legends The Art Team are doing a reunion that will most definitely not go wrong and descend into a frantic hour of sex, drugs and an investigation into the suspicious death of our beloved mascot, Mr Sausage. Everyone’s a suspect. Especially Noel fricking Edmonds!

What was the biggest obstacle you face(d) while putting this show together?

Brexit. Also we we’re literally on the other side of the world from each other for most of this year. January – June Maddie was touring Fleabag in Australia. She then came back in time for Dave to start his World Cup show, which then finished as Louise started rehearsals for her new one-woman show. So yeah mainly Brexit.

Anyone who knows the lyrics to the Fresh Prince theme tune. Our show is packed with 90’s tunes: big shout out to Ini Kamoze, Britney and B*witched! Should be fun.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

DON’T MAKE A SPREADSHEET! I mean, of course, book ahead if there’s someone you really wanna see. But it’s an ARTS FESTIVAL. It’s about creativity and spontaneity. The next big stars do not have thousands of pounds to spend on PR and huge billboards. They’re in a shitty little room somewhere – take a punt! Also add Louise’s show (sorry) at Assembly and Maddie’s shows ‘Pickle Jar’ and ‘Zazu’ at Underbelly to your spreadsheets.

What is your favourite thing about Edinburgh as a city?

The climate. It’s cool and rains a lot. Usually this is the thing we hate most but we’re currently sat in a boiling hot London Itsu sweating like an Edinburgh sketch group who haven’t actually finished writing their show yet.

Who? Ola

What? Sunday Service With Ola

Where? Gilded Balloon Teviot (venue 14)

When? 17:15

Are you prepared for what this year’s Edinburgh Fringe has in store for you?

If we’re talking aboutcomedyperformances then yes. If we’re talking about my inevitable fame and fortune then heck yes.

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

It’s an immersive church service themedcomedyand debate experience. Taking elements that I enjoy of church, as a black Christian comedian who also enjoys rap music, out into the world in a way most people can relate.

What was the biggest obstacle you face(d) while putting this show together?

Everyone who wants to. Only those who want to be miserable will be so. The show is that good.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

Yeah, first off, all the black people. Chuck in some Eshaan Akbar, Alistair Williams, Chris Betts vs. The Audience, Ed Night, Pierre Novellie and all the other stars that continue to support my show, Sunday Service withOla. I am not ashamed of my open nepotism.

What is your favourite thing about Edinburgh as a city?

I don’t really know it outside of the Fringe so I’ll just say something vague and pretentious like its “natural beauty”.

Who? Clara Cupcakes

What? The Worst

Where? Underbelly, Bristo Square (venue 302)

When? 18:50

Are you prepared for what this year’s Edinburgh Fringe has in store for you?

I think so? I hope so? Look yes I am let’s just be positive and peppy about it all shall we. It’s my first time there doing a run of my very own show and I’m nervous but excited! I’ve already sold some tickets which is pretty wild. Nobody knows me there and I’m a bit like “Who are you? Why did you pick me? ARE YOU A SPY?” but also I’m exceptionally joyous and grateful for them and the gumption they have to take a punt on this little Aussie oddball.

What is the premise of your Edinburgh show this year?

It’s about an octopus queen trapped in a terrible 8bit video game of her own making where she has to win back the heart of her Octoking. You know, just some very relatable content.

What was the biggest obstacle you face(d) while putting this show together?

Making a very sad and fraught story funny. Underneath all the octopussery and 8bitness it’s a true and real story of something that happened to me and in turn something that’s happened to a lot of people and within that I have a responsibility to treat that with respect but also find the humour in it. Also I basically built my own video game. That took a long time and I had no idea how to do it when I started. I learnt a lot about 8Bit animation and midi files.

Anyone who has ever had their heartbroken. Anyone with nostalgia for sega megadrives and Super Nintendos. A lady in Adelaide got mad and said the show was “an hour of stupidity and nonsense” so if you like those things it’s definitely for you.

Do you have any other Edinburgh show recommendations?

OH! Too many. Edinburgh you are so lucky. Aussies you should check out are The Travelling Sisters (amazing sketch comedy/clown), Laura Davis (life changing stand-up), Seen & Heard (a story telling show that I’m also part of) and Rhys Nicholson (sharp as hell stand-up). Other country humans I would recommend are Douglas Walker (clever, clever sketch), Chris Turner (clever, clever stand up), Elf Lyons (economist clown) and Natalie Palamides (just really damn smart and funny).

What is your favourite thing about Edinburgh as a city?

It’s beautiful in all weather. Sunny or rainy or snowy as heck, it looks like a fairytale and makes me smile.

What are your plans for after the festival?

I’m heading straight to LA to write a new show called “Ballbuster”. It’s about my parents, who for dramatic purposes are Lucille Ball and Buster Keaton. I’m also going to take a little road trip down the 1 and soak up the last of the summer sun before heading back to the chill hands of Melbourne Spring.